Şemsi Efendi (1851/1852 – 1917) was an Ottoman teacher and educator,[2] who gave education based on Usul-i cedid (new method) in the private school he founded in Thessaloniki in the 19th century, as well as in other private schools opened in the same period.

The idea of opening a primary school to teach Turkish students under similar conditions and new methods was born.

[8][9] The school was attacked and closed down due to its innovative methods such as using blackboards and having students play games between classes.

[8] The school was reopened after Mithat Pasha, the governor of Thessaloniki, brought the issue to the agenda in the provincial council; and expanded.

As a result of a disagreement between them, İsmail Hakkı Efendi left and founded a new school.

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk also studied here after Hafız Mehmed Efendi School.

During the reign of Abdulhamid II, he was awarded the Medjidie order of the fourth and third ranks.

Teachers who immigrated from Rumelia were assigned to provincial schools on half salary, but he was appointed as primary education inspector in Istanbul.

The most famous of these was the Fevziye School, opened by Şemsi Efendi in 1873, during the reign of Governor Midhat Pasha.

[25][23][26] Therefore, in 1923, that is, 6 years after the death of Şemsi Efendi, he went to Jerusalem and spent the rest of his life there with his sons.